Laterally, a stunning Finish
Drake’s TD with no time left after 2 laterals leaves Gronkowski, Pats floored
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The mob scene in the corner of the end zone broke out far from Ryan Tannehill, leaving him in the open field, running and screaming as he waved his arms. He couldn’t find anyone to hug, so he flopped to the grass on his back — job done and game won.
“I collapsed — just the emotion of the whole thing,” Tannehill said.
Sixteen seconds from defeat, Tannehill threw a short pass, then watched his teammates save the season with the “Drake Escape.”
Kenyan Drake ran the last 52 yards as the Dolphins scored on a pass and double lateral on the final play Sunday to beat the Patriots 3433. With that, Miami lived up to its nickname — the Magic City.
“They just made one more play than we did,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.
And what a play. The Pats were on the verge of clinching their 10th consecutive AFC East title when the Dolphins lined up at their 31 after a kickoff return trailing 33-28.
“We had them right where we wanted,” Tannehill said dryly. “Not really surprised with how things turned out.”
He threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker, who quickly lateraled to Drake along the sideline. He cut toward the middle and found a seam, helped by a block from guard Ted Larsen at the 30.
Drake beat two Patriots to the corner of the end zone — defensive back J.C. Jackson and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was on the field as part of the Pats’ prevent defense.
“Drake runs a 4.3, Gronk probably runs a 4.6 or 4.7, so you feel good about that matchup,” Tannehill said.
Then came one last pass to punctuate the play — Drake reared back for a celebratory heave into the stands as the Dolphins’ bench emptied and teammates swarmed him.
“Football,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said, “is a crazy game.”
The Dolphins call the play “Boise” because it was borrowed from the Boise State playbook, and they had been working on it all year.
“You rep it in practice over and over,” Stills said. “Sometimes it’s like, ‘Why are we doing this?’ Now we know why.”
It brought to mind other NFL lastsecond stunners, including Roger Staubach’s “Hail Mary,” the “Miracle in the Meadowlands” and the “Immaculate Reception.” The play was the longest from scrimmage to win a game with no time remaining in the fourth quarter since the 1970 merger.
Brady threw for 358 yards and three touchdowns, but the stunned Patriots (9-4) lost in Miami for the fifth time in their last six visits. The Dolphins (7-6) came from behind five times to help their slim wild-card chances.